What: Bristol Brewing Company

www.bristolbrewing.com

What does the taster say? All of us who drink fine ales are familiar with the flavors of Bristol’s Beehive Honey Wheat,  Compass IPA, Laughing Lab, and Red Rocket. Some of them have won multiple medals, but they won a place with our taste buds just as Bristol’s commitment to this community has won a place in our hearts. What you may not know is that there are always specialty brews on tap. I have used these different ales as a base for everything from biscuits to pasta sauces to cheesecake.

This month showcased the delicious RyePA XPA. Start with the deep copper hue that tells you up front you are in for something special. Take a sip. This brew soothes the soul with a smooth maltiness. Don’t be fooled, a bright hops bite smacks your taste buds back to life with a citrusy bitterness, making this an ultimately quaffable ale.

Available at: The Tasting Room, 1647 S. Tejon and other liquor stores.

Retail cost:  You can find the standard Bristol ales for $8.49 a six-pack at area liquor stores. Go to the tasting room for growlers and bombers of specialty ales like the RyePA XPA. Growlers run $11, $12 or $13 depending upon choice of ale. They are slightly less expensive if you bring your own growler back to be refilled. Bombers cost $4.99.

How local is it? In an effort to source more local ingredients, the employees at Bristol started tending organically grown hop vines at Venetucci Farm a few years ago. They also use Venetucci pumpkins in the pumpkin ale and are continually looking for new sources of local products to use. Honey for the Beehive Honey Wheat ale comes from an apiary in Black Forest.

Know your food: Bristol Brewing is committed to the community and the environment. It does not ship any product out of state, which means your beverage is a truly Colorado experience.

Then there are the charity efforts that Bristol supports. Enjoy a brew during Karma Night Tuesdays, when $1 of every pint sold goes to a local charity. Try one of the specialty ales, each brewed once a year, the proceeds from which go to local charities like Venetucci Farm (Pumpkin Ale) and Friends of Cheyenne Canyon (Piñon Nut Brown Ale).

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Mukatis is a health and garden coach who owns Cultivate Health. Reach her at cultivatehealth@gmail.com.

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